The Church of Bahrain and the Gulf recently celebrated the formal start of the construction of the new cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, patron saint of the Arabian Peninsula. The new place of worship, which will meet the needs of the local Christian community composed mainly of economic migrants and seasonal workers, includes a multifunctional centre that can host social, educational and cultural events. The inauguration ceremony, with the laying of the first stone, was a time of celebration for the whole community that gathered to hear the Gospel, followed by a brief moment of prayer.
The service was attended by priests and laity, believers and high-ranking dignitaries, including the ambassadors of France and Italy, as well as a representative of the King of Bahrain. Situated some 20 km from the capital, Manama, the compound will have a church. It will be connected to a building that will be the home to the episcopal curia and include a guest house, educational and pastoral outreach facilities as well as administrative offices. As the country’s second place of Christian worship, the cathedral will be able to accommodate up to 2,000 people and will serve as the see of the Church for the northern Persian Gulf. For local Catholics, mostly immigrants, often victims of harassment, discrimination and hardships, the construction of a cathedral with its associated centre is a source of pride and satisfaction.
The first Catholics, who number about 80,000 out of a total of 1.5 million inhabitants (10 per cent Christians), came originally from Iraq and Iran.
Source: www.asainews.it
